Why back care is essential to your wellbeing

Back care is essential to your wellbeing and since it was Back Care Awareness Week this month time to tell you why. Back pain can manifest in many ways and is a disabling health condition. Particularly for the over 60’s BUT you don’t have to be ‘mature’ to suffer.

The Facts

80% of people will experience back pain in their lifetime.

The most acute pain can be triggered by the simplest of strains or sprains.

Only a very small number of people develop a long-term problem.

Bed rest is not helpful

Your back is an amazing muscle, with a level of strength and flexibility you probably take for granted. Therefore, taking care of your back is important and the good news is, it’s easy to do.

Here are a few tips for taking care of your back and preventing injury

Your core is everything in relation to preventing back problems and exercise is an excellent way of strengthening the muscles that support your back. You don’t even need to visit a gym, at Sarum we can provide you with exercises that can be done at home.

Good posture is essential for avoiding back pain and helps to reduce stress. Plus, improves your breathing by enabling your lungs to fill to increase oxygen and blood flow around the body. This enables your organs to work more efficiently without additional pressure. Here is a previous blog on posture you might find of interest.

Daily activity can put a strain on your back, from carrying heavy shopping bags to lifting items into your car. You’ve heard the phrase ‘bend your knees’ well it’s an important one to remember and the tips we recently shared in our gardening blog apply in pretty much all you do.

Stop smoking … are you surprised? Smoking reduces the blood supply to the discs between the vertebrae and this may lead to degenerating. So if you are a smoker now is a great time to quit and as it happens October is also STOPTOBER (although the NHS can provide you support all year round).

Those discs need not only a good blood supply but are made mostly of water so important to stay hydrated. Sources vary on how much water you should drink, six to eight glasses a day appears to be the norm and remember you don’t have to just drink water. You can include smoothies or fruit teas, just stay clear of fizzy drinks and anything with sugar.

Back pain is manageable and normally improves within a few weeks or months. However, early intervention is key and seeking advice sooner rather than later worth remembering. If you’re suffering an ache, niggle or acute pain, call the Sarum Physio team, we can provide treatment and create an exercise plan right for you and your lifestyle.

Don’t ignore those aches and pains call, 01722 415 055 to book an appointment.

By Jenny Mears|2018-10-18T19:06:07+00:00October 18th, 2018|Healthy tips|Comments Off on Why back care is essential to your wellbeing